Believe
by demonprosecutor
Summary: A Seven Years Later fic. Maya/Phoenix, if you want. Oneshot, sort of cheesy! :D I'm not sure about the genres.


DISCLAIMER: The Ace Attorney series and its characters belong to Capcom

DISCLAIMER: The Ace Attorney series and its characters belong to Capcom.

WARNING: I personally think that this story is incredibly cheesy, but I'll post anything! And don't ask for any explanations, because I barely understand this myself.

A leather bound book, dusty and old. A faded, beige cover, "Memories" written in swirly gold writing on the front. Delicate hand open it, revealing countless photos, some fading, some as bright as the day they were taken. Photos of parties, celebrations, days out and days in. Photos from Kurain Village, Wright & Co and so many other places. Photos of friends, acquaintances, even a few enemies. Detectives, lawyers, spirit mediums, every profession under the sun.

The first photo showed the two of them standing in front of the office. He jazz hands showed off the new, "Wright & co," sign, while he just smiled nervously. The sun shone and ruined the image, but it made no difference. It was still a memory.

She flicked through the pages, through samurais, magicians, waitresses, and a million more till that final photo. They stood in front of a snowy bridge, unaware of what mysteries and dangers lay waiting on the other side. They went through those dangers and came out the other end. And what lay waiting for them there? Loss. And nothing.

They next six pages were empty. The memories stopped there, no more were willing to be formed. Pressed between the back cover and the last page was a piece of paper. Her tears fell on it and smudged the newspaper article it exhibited. She had gone away for that short amount of time, and while she was gone, he blew it. She was never sure whose fault it was, his or hers. She should have known he couldn't manage without her.

She closed the book. That was all. The memories stopped there.

"Master?"

She turned her head to see the speaker. Her cousin, now in her teens, sat down beside her. Pearly always referred to her with her proper title, despite beign told a million times not to.

"Master, he's always with you. This might sound like sentimental mumbo jumbo, and it may well _be_ sentimental mumbo jumbo, but he's always with you if you just believe."

"Just believe," she whispered.

_Believe_

A twin book, same cover, same gold writing, same photos. From the launch of Wright & Co to the picture by the bridge. Every client, every case, every smile was captured in this book. The corners were twisted and folded over, the edges of the pages wavy. It made no difference. The catalogue of memories would always contain the same message.

It was an impossible life he was living. Hiding away from his past, his memories, his friends. The photos stared up at his with unblinking eyes. Freeze frames of a life he once lived, a life that was now over.

"Daddy?"

He didn't turn to see her. His daughter sat down next to him, but he still didn't look up. He couldn't break his eye contact with the girl staring up at him. Her long black hair, her enthusiastic eyes, frozen in time on the glassy paper stuck into this dusty old book. She was worth more than that.

"Daddy? Who's that?" she asked.

He didn't mean to say it. He had no idea where it came from. It was as if someone else had said it but the words had come out of the wrong mouth.

"Just believe."

_Believe_

The grass tickled her arms, the sun heated her face. She recognised the sound of nearby traffic, and smiled at the distant memory. She knew it wasn't real. It was _almost_ real. _Almost._

She opened her eyes, knowing what would be there. Her imagination did not disappoint her. The back of Wright & Co, unchanged as if it were still seven years ago. She sat up, ignoring the grass stains on her uniform. They would be gone in the morning.

The tiny yard, with the tiny pink flowers that Pearly had grown surrounding it, was also unchanged. Preserved to perfection, almost like a memory Because it _was_ a memory.

She wandered into the office, flicking the switch on the kettle and relaxing in the swivel chair just like old times. She had dreamt this dream a million times, each time almost identical to the other. Just another day at Wright & Co, just like old times. Except that he was never there.

_Just believe._

She remembered Pearly's words. It _could_ work. It probably wouldn't…

_Just believe._

Of course it would! It was his office, why shouldn't he be here? If she tried, he might just come…

_Believe!_

He was here. He had to be. She closed her eyes. It was her dream, she controlled it. If she said he was here, then…

She opened her eyes.

He was here.

_Believe_

He slammed the door shut. It was windy and raining outside. He leaned against the door. He couldn't stand this dream. It could have been perfect, apart from the massive gap that was left unfilled.

_Just believe._

He though back to his conversation with Trucy. I might work. Possibly…

_Just believe._

Of course it would work! I mean, she basically lived here. Had lived here. Whatever – perhaps if he though hard enough…

_Believe!_

The owner of the message wasn't quite clear. A million voices were mixed up in his head. But the determination was familiar. Memories flashed in front of him, the trio, justice fighters, Wright & Co.

She was here.She had to be. He closed his eyes. It was his dream, he controlled it. If he said she was here, then…

He turned to face the room.

She was here.

_Believe_

Two different dreams couldn't meet. An invisible wall separated them. Sunshine on her side, storms on his. Wright & Co on her side, the Wright Anything Agency on his. He'd moved on to make new memories. So had she, but not here. There was nothing to imagine but the there and then, as opposed to his here and now. It was confusing, and Pearl clutched her head. If felt as if it were about to burst.

Trying to unite two people in their dreams wasn't an easy job. She had been told not to try it a million times – but that had never stopped that before.

_Believe_

He could see her. She could see him. But they couldn't interact. Something stopped them from moving, from even considering moving. It was enough to see each other after seven long years, wasn't it?

Well, wasn't it?

Her mouth moved. He was no lip-reading expert, but the first word was Pearly for sure. He figured it out and joined in. it would take a lot to get through to her.

"_Pearl__s, let go."_

_Believe_

"_Pearly, let go," _came from one side. The same message, with a slight change in the nickname, came from the other. Pearl hung her head in her hands. Her powers had always been weak. She had tried to make the Master proud, and her mother despite everything. She had failed, as usual.

She let go.

_Believe_

"The Master requests your presence, Mystic Pearl," said one of the mediums-in-training. Pearl glanced up from her book. She was still practicing her reading. She missed the lessons that Mr Nick had given her, and the Master, as she was now called, was always too busy. She had to fend for herself.

"I'm coming."

_Believe_

She was sitting on the cliff's edge with her legs hanging over the edge. Her eyes were closed and mist swirled around her. Very mystic. The Master had always had a way of making everything dramatic.

"Master?"

"Pearl, call me by name next time."

"Sorry."

"You know why I've called you."

"Last night."

"Yes."

"I'm sorry, I just thought."

"Honestly, Pearly!" The Master laughed for the first time in seven years. "I wanted to thank you. So, thanks."

"But I messed up!"

"Pearly, you need to believe in yourself more."

A voice travelled on the wind. A man's voice, accompanied by traffic and a young girl arguing with a young man about magic tricks in the background.

_Just believe._

_**Authors Notes: **__Wow. Cheesy ending. Never mind! :)_


End file.
